1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock for use with a motor vehicle door hinge and, in particular, to a door lock which is formed integrally with the door hinge, with the door hinge having two hinge halves connectable, respectively, with two parts of the door assembly, a door and a door pillar, and pivotally connected with each other by a hinge pin, and with the door lock including at least one locking member associated with one of the two hinge halves, and a brake and locking element associated with another of the two hinge halves and cooperating with the locking member for locking the door in a predetermined opening position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There exist a multiplicity of embodiments of a door lock of the type described above. A first embodiment, in which the door lock is combined with the door hinge and is releasably connected with the door hinge, is characterized by including a C- or U-shaped torsional spring which is fixedly connected with one of the hinge halves or a similar part and cooperates with an indexing segment secured to another of the hinge halves or a similar part. All of the door locks of this type, independent of their particular construction, have a common drawback which consists in that their functional elements are basically exposed and, therefore, can inadvertently be covered with varnish during varnishing of the vehicle body. This may adversely affect the operation of the door lock. Further, the exposed condition of the door lock elements can lead to their contamination as a result of abrasion and exposure to dirt.
Door locks, in which the locking member associated with one of the door assembly parts cooperates with a locking element secured to another of the door assembly parts, has the same drawback. In these door locks, at least the locking member is exposed and, thus, is subjected to the same damage and contamination as the elements of a door lock with a torsion spring. Besides, both types of the door lock are suitable only for the doors the maximal opening angle of which is less than 90.degree.. The third embodiment of the door lock, which is combined with the door hinge, is characterized in that the locking member is provided on an extension of the hinge axis which projects beyond the hinge pin. In the door locks of this type, there exists a possibility to protect the functional elements of the door lock with additional cover elements and, thereby, at least partially eliminate the drawback which characterized the door locks of the two embodiment discussed previously. However, providing these additional cover elements is connected with increased manufacturing and assembly costs. In addition, the door locks provided with cover elements require an increased mounting space which makes their use very problematic.
All of the conventional door locks are further characterized in that their locking force is determined constructively and, therefore, cannot be changed, which makes the adjustment of the functions or the characteristics of a door lock, after it has been installed, impossible.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is a door lock for use with a motor vehicle door hinge and, in particular, a door lock which is formed integrally with the door hinge and, ignore particularly, with a demountable door hinge and which would have as small dimensions as possible even at the maximum door opening angle of 270.degree..
Another object of the invention is an improved door lock of the above-described type and which is closed so that varnishing of the vehicle body does not adversely affect the functioning of the door lock, on one hand, and on the other hand, the operation of the door and/or of the door locks does not lead to the door lock contamination.
A further object of the invention is a door lock of the above-described type the locking force of which can be adjusted at any moment during the mounting of the door hinge and/or the door lock in the vehicle body.
A still further object of the present invention is a door lock of the above-described type the adjustment of the locking force of which can be effected at any moment during the mounting independently of whether the door lock is formed integrally with the door hinge or is a separate unit.